his family's constitutional rights were violated, according to the Columbia Daily Tribune.
On February 11, a Columbia SWAT team busted down Whitworth's door, killed his pit bull (you can hear the dog squealing and whimpering on the video), wounded his corgi/pit bull mix, rounded up his wife and 7-year-old son, held them at gunpoint just a few feet from the now dead dog, and handcuffed him. In all, officers fired seven shots.
The police did all of this because they believed Whitworth was a "major marijuana distributor." But this raid totally whiffed, turning up just a small amount of weed, a pipe and a grinder.
Columbia police have since changed
their policies on how SWAT raids are conducted. Police
chief Ken Burton admitted
at a news conference that "we did some things wrong."
"I am
telling you we have
fixed those things -- that the public can be assured that a similar
incident will not happen again without someone's head rolling because
it's now policy," Burton said.
The civil suit seeks restitution for damage to Whitworth's home, vet expenses for the wounded dog and medical expenses. His family needed counseling after the raid. You might too after watching the video.
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As citizens, we need to start protecting ourselves and our homes from these law enforcement bandits.
Here are some ideas:
1. Purchase a noise alarm which makes so much noise that officers can't communicate, and is so loud that it is likely to cause pain to their ears, thus forcing them to withdraw.
2. Have a can of gasoline in the house, and immediately spill it when the raid starts. Officers will be afraid to use their weapons in case they cause an explosion.
3. Reinforce your front door and garden so as to make it impossible for LEO's to enter quickly, thus giving you time to react.
4. Form a neighbourhood watch group with others locally, and as soon as you are attacked, call out your local militia to hinder the SWAT raid. A riot in which SWAT vehicles are torched, for example, would make them more reluctant to engage in this kind of terrorism. Also, they then have to face threats both within and outside the house. If possible, surround the house, which will scare the officers shitless.
5. Use all possible resources to find out and publish the names and home addresses of all officers involved in this kind of thuggery. Publish them alongside the video. Officers would think twice about law breaking in this way if they knew that there was a possibility of revenge attacks. As officers are effectively above the law, they should not be entitled to the protection of the law. (Note: I am not encouraging or inciting violence here, merely pointing out that officers who have chosen to attack the community instead of protect and serve it, must ultimately expect some form of community justice.)
Ever since I saw the video when it happened, this case reminds me of last Thanksgiving.
I woke up at 11am to voices outside talking to my mother (who was in the middle of making pies). I heard the radio, so I jumped up and got ready for jail (again.lol). So, they stormed in my house (8 officers with guns drawn) and started screaming for me to come out of my room with my hands up.
I smoked a cig while they waited. muhahah. But then I go out... ready to be tackled (even though I would offer no resistance)... then they get a message on the radio and they say to eachother (in a whisper), "wrong house."
then they walked out without a word... sorry for fuckin with your Thanksgiving... happy days... none of that. Just walked out. Then I called to complain, but there's no record of a call around my area at that time. They said someone had been beating his wife and chasing her around with a butcher knife. I WAS SLEEPING. WRONG GUY. AGAIN.
Holly,
You dumb cunt! Fuck your relative....hope he f'n dies while he's doing nothing wrong...that's what he and his thug buddies were doing here.
I don't need your puss boyfriend, husband, brother, or dad helping "save" me. I have my own guns (apparently I handle them better than these ass-clowns) and I'll protect myself. I've never once asked the pigs for help b/c they can't be trusted. Fuck them and fuck you too! Send your relative to my house to shoot my dog and harass my family, despite the fact I've never done anything to hurt anyone else....Oh, I'm sure you can guess what would've happened to a few of those goons in my house. They wouldn't have had a second chance to shoot me after the first 3 misses. I hope all the worst for all of your piece of shit cop heroes that were involved in this!!
Hey Holly...what if you're related to the Whitworth's and not with the cop who's involved in this? I bet your dramatic reaction will change for sure! My brother's a cop, my uncle's a detective and my dad's a lawyer, if you did something wrong...it's wrong...family or not, that's the truth, the way and the life!
Wow, all I can say is you people are SAD!! Ed and Joe, you are so fucked up in the head! I hope nobody in your family is a cop or is married to one. You two are the epitome of STUPID! Make sure you don't call cops next time you are robbed, carjacked, have an accident, or just generally being the LOSERS you so clearly are! Everybody makes mistakes, even cops. Yes there are bad cops out there, but there are also good ones trying to follow the law and do their job. I am so sick of hearing "police state" that is bullshit! We all have the free will to make our own decisions, some just don't make the right ones. And they repeat them over and over. Do you not follow your boss orders? I sure wouldn't want people like you protecting me.
WoW!!! Holly you explained so much!!! NOW I totally UNDERSTAND!!! It's a genetic thing on being a murderous self obsorbed prick! Do they do DNA testing to pick the right thugs for the force? Or do they scrounge around the bottom of the septic tank to find you low-lifes! You should be able to figure out the situation right away and adjust to it! Not stay on the wrong script for god's sake! They are suppossed to PROTECT AND SERVE! Join the CIA if you want to raid and kill everything "legally"!
Then police wonder why they are losing respect of the citizens. THIS IS BEYOND COMPREHENSION!!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME????? Unfortuneatly none of those a**holes will be fired. They have needlessly traumatized a family over an oops!! It would be nice if every cop who goes through training have this experience with their family as a training exercise. Who is training these cranked up crack pots???!!! I wonder which ones are on drugs? This is one of those situations when someone is sueing; they should break the bank!
HEY HOLLY GET USE TO IT AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE TAKING BACK THERE RIGHTS THERS A REASON THERS SO MANY COPS BEING KILLED/THERE A JOKE AND THE JOKES ON YOU FUCK HEADS/ YOUR JUST PISSED BECAUSE YOU CAN'T CALL AND GET OUT OF THIS ONE MAY YOU AND ALL YOURS BURN IN THE HELL YOU ALL CREATED/YOUR ALL RUNNING SCARED BULLET PROOF GLASS AT POLICE STATIONS COPS ARE SO AFRAID SOME ONE GOING TO KILL THEM O WHAT A FEELING / IF YOU LET US OWN OUR WEAPONS WE WOULDNT NEED YOU CROOKED SCARED ASS M F TO CALL FUCK THE COPS
Hey Im a music loving girl (Kizzy) I have my own music making blog, I love to make trance and dnb and have great expertise in laptop music production. Feel free to come and check out my site and hope to make your acquaintance. Currently using Fruity Loops but I know I should be getting onto better software. Come and say Hi sometime - Email me to chat What would you recomend? Hardware? Have limited budet for soem new speakers as well..- Based in the UK - South West Kizz XX
I will use my first name but not my last as I am related to one of the officers involved in this incident. WTF???? I have been reading all the comments over the last few months. What if it was your loved one involved in this? The Columbia Swat were only doing what they were ordered to do! You all bitch and condemn the police, but when you really need them they are there to protect you and stop whatever situation you have gotten involved in. The man was convicted of a drug charge before, so they were acting accordingly! It was a fucking DOG, not a person! It also wasn't a middle of the night raid, it was 8 pm! Quit fuckin feelin sorry for the lowlife with the drugs and pitbull and be glad that there are cops to protect you when CLEARLY so many of you don't derserve it! You people are so fucking self rightous and quick to judege something that you seriously don't have a fucking clue about! I seriously hope with all my heart that when the time comes that you need the cops help.....they tell you to FUCK OFF!!!!
So... are tranquilizer guns just a thing of the past? They have to kill animals now? It is so sad to watch this, I wish I hadnt to be honest...Those poor dogs, those of you who are apparently ignorant of the fact any dog can be raised mean and taught to fight...NOT JUST PITBULLS! Pitbulls are very loving, protective and sweet animals when treated right.... I can see the tax dollars flying out the window for an obviously unnecessary raid and then to read some of the things posted on here? Are there 12-14 year olds reading the news and then commenting or are you all really adults? So sad... God help us all!
Ok the cops get intel (bad intel as we can see now), they knock twice hear no movement and bust down the door.
They enter rapidly and see a dog coming toward them in an aggressive manner (well something just scared it and it is going to investigate and protect it's pack from the danger).
They shoot the threat (not killing it on the first shot is bad weapon handling skills, but still in keeping with standard raid tactics).
Another dog threat comes up and it is dealt with in the same manner.
All persons occupying the building are rounded up, accounted for and kept under armed supervision while the article of the warrant are served. (How many times does it take for a person to conceal a weapon in a babies diaper and to use that weapon against someone before the action of a mother or father reaching for a baby becomes suspicious? No baby in this situation, just using it as an example of what has been done.)
What did the cops do that was not correct? Acting on bad intel is the top one. Not killing the dog with one shot and making it suffer and be scared till they shot it again.
Wounding another dog and not killing it with the first shot.
Since they did not kill the animals with a single round they obviously were using the wrong weapons for the raid.
What the residents did wrong. Other then having a minimal amount of a contraband substance, nothing.
Did the residence deserve what happened to them? NO of course not.
What have the other posters railing against the LEO's done in the past where they have so much hate for the enforcers of public law?
Unknown but they probably have:
1) Been caught with various amounts of contraband substance and been force to pay various amounts of court fines.
2) Seen friends or family members acting like movie actors and brandish weapons at LEO's and seen them get killed (the most likely outcome of brandishing a weapon at a LEO and not being smart enough to do what they are told to do).
3) NOT take responsibility for their own actions when they have done something in the past that has violated civil or criminal law and placed the blame on everyone and anyone else other then themselves.
4) Made wild justifications for why when they violated civil or criminal law it was OK and justifiable and they were actually in the right.
5) Never held anything other then a menial job where they no more then a basic responsibility for anything other then their own actions and they promptly lost that due to actions that they could not help and they were just the victim of circumstance of.
Now that their own past issues and failings have been brought up, they will now start bashing and flaming the one that shown a light on their failings.
Dave
IT IS DISGUSTING THAT ANY COP WOULD SHOOT AN ANIMAL UNLESS HE IS BEING ATTACKED BY IT!
THESE SO CALLED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE NOTHING BUT THE LOWEST OF THE LOW LIFE IN EVERY, NOT JUST HERE, BUT IT IS WORSE HERE, SOCIETY! THESE ARE NOTHING BUT BADGED THUGS!
WHAT RIGHT DO THEY HAVE TO KILL ANY ANIMALS AGAIN, UNLESS THEY ARE BEING ATTACKED? TO THE ANONYMOUS THAT WROTE THAT IT WAS A PIT BULL AND NEEDED TO BE SHOT -- THAT'S A STUPID COMMENT TO MAKE! NOT ALL PIT BULLS ARE BAD!
ALSO, TO THE OTHER IDIOT THAT SAYS STOP WHINNING -- THIS IS NOT WHINNING, TAKING THIS TO COURT AND WINNING -- WILL PRESERVE ALL OUR RIGHTS AND HOPEFULLY MAKE US MORE RESPECTED -- YES EVEN YOU, ALTHOUGH YOUR COMMENT LEAVES ROOM TO DOUBT YOU DESERVE RESPECT!
THE COMMENT ABOUT THESE PIGS LOOSING THEIR JOB, SERVING JAIL TIME AND NOT BEING ALLOWED AROUND ANIMALS IS RIGHT ON -- EXCEPT TO CALL THESE SOB'S PIGS -- THAT'S AN INSULT TO ANIMALS!
ALSO, A CORGIE WAS SHOT! DO YOU GET THAT? AN INNOCENT CORGIE! I'M GLAD I'M NOT GOD, WHOM MOST OF YOU BELIEVE IN, I WOULD BURN YOUR SOUL IN HELL FOR EONS TO COME!!!!!!
Drug war cops are scum. They get off on this kind of stuff.
I bet they were hoping he had a lot of cash out. It would have gone missing.
I have a right to put what ever I want in my body.
Bah not that bad. Seems like bad intel since they didn't seem to need a SWAT team to enter that house. And dogs are hard to read. Can't really wait for it to start biting before they shoot. A bit too late then. Worst part is really the child having to witness it all.
Poorly planned and executed but excessive violence? Nah...
"They said it was for the black man, they said it was for the mex-i-can and not for the white man. But if you look at the street, it wasn't about Rodney King. It was about this fucked up situation and these fucked up police." - Bradley Nowell RIP
with behavour like this you will never break this cycle of hatrid towards the pigs
Where are the folks defending the cops now? I'm ready to hear more of how you figure they did what they "had to do". They're monsters and that's all there is to it. F'n pussies scared of a 50lb. dog! Then the pieces of shit chased it through the house shooting at it. I hope charma has its way with those punk ass pigs and you retards that think what they did is ok. You can be on their side in the revolution when enough American citizens get sick of the BS that's going on these days.
Wow, typical police officer. Maybe morals exist in small towns where everyone knows each other, but without knowing the suspect, the cop doesn't give a fuck about anything, ESPECIALLY RIGHTS. Theoretically, if the cop that shot my dog was off duty, and I saw him, piece of shit would be executed. They will probably only get suspended for a few weeks without pay.
Today cops are worse than the gang bangers, worse than the mafia.
I don't cry when one of them is killed, as most of them deserve it.
I can't believe some folks hate "potheads" so much. What has one ever done to you? F'd your GF the night you got drunk and beat her? WTF is your problem with it retard?
Josh, I don't like the fact that you jack off with a thumb in your ass but I don't hate you for it!
Now everyone in the country knows what kind of place Columbia, MO is like to live in.
For all you looking to attend University of Missouri, I would stay out of Columbia and go somewhere else. The police pull you over for almost anything. For instance, they pulled me over because my license plate light was not working.
It is a borderline police state here. Heck, they even pulled over one the MU coaches is a school parking lot for DUI. Here is the best part, he was waiting for someone to pick him up and since his engine was running, they charged a DUI, even though he wasn't driving. My advice, stay away from Columbia!
Hey no surprise here, this is not a first time , i remember in Florida cop raid the wrong house (right house was next door) scary s***t out of the kids and all that , thank God it was no dog to shoot. Any way family got 20 or so millions. Bit no one was fired i believes so . One more thing , I CAN F*** G BELIEVE THIS ALL OVER A POT!!!!!!!!!! Can they cops go back to real job and stop stacking pothead and traffic violation individuals.
The police screwed this up shooting up the place knowing a kid was inside and obviously not having any resistance from the adults, but I'm thinking the kid is in therapy b/c his parents are druggies.
When I was a kid, my stupid parents didn't want to have to work for a living so they came up with this grand scheme to grow marijuana with their druggie friends. The whole place was raided by the cops - with helicopters and everything. Everyone was arrested, dragged out into the road and put on their belly for all the news crews to record. My grandparents had to come and get me. Talk about humiliation. And then a whole new round of humiliation happened when I went back to school. Thanks Mom and Dad - parents of the year, for sure!
But I don't blame the police for what they did. My moronic parents were the ones who were breaking the law.
America has long been a real democracy. The right to vote, ha ha ah a. thats a joke, actually I think this video was pre planned, its explained here, http://www.onlyrooms.com/en/ho...
We're constantly told that these types of raids are what fuel the hate, violence and terrorist acts against our troops when they happen in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Good think it isn't HUMAN nature to react the same way over here in America, or we'd constantly have people shooting the cops....oh, wait...
Enjoy.
Why would I ever want to watch such a video... yikes, all for a bit of weed. Crazy times were living in. So glad not to live in USA.
"Mark says: My life insurance policies are a .44 Magnum and a pocket knife with a big 3" 440A stainless steel blade."
Yes, and if you're lucky, you'll time to wrap a hand around either before turning into all crimson rendition of a Jackson Pollock painting.
Right or wrong, you're not going to win against SWAT. These clowns needs to be charged ,dismissed and jailed. Pot needs to be legalized.
disgusting,these are the type of people we have on the police force. just discusting
Sad commentary on the frequent Gestapo-like behavior of the low-life, unethical, low-IQ'd idiots WE THE PEOPLE pay to protect us! They're often worse than the criminals they are paid to keep in check. They are given sooooo much power to do damn near anything they like, with few repercussions for their bullying, jack-booted attitudes! As a child, I was taught to trust & respect them, but over the years I've learned to distrust & disrespect them, due to the incredibly escalating numbers of their absurd, incompetent, horrendous lack of common sense, honesty & simple humanity. This story echoes across our entire nation. ...Solution? Penalize with serious jail-time & fines. & fire their sorry asses!
Sad commentary on the frequent Gestapo-like behavior of the low-life, unethical, low-IQ'd idiots WE THE PEOPLE pay to protect us! They're often worse than the criminals they are paid to keep in check. They are given sooooo much power to do damn near anything they like, with few repercussions for their bullying, jack-booted attitudes! As a child, I was taught to trust & respect them, but over the years I've learned to distrust & disrespect them, due to the incredibly escalating numbers of their absurd, incompetent, horrendous lack of common sense, honesty & simple humanity. This story echoes across our entire nation. ...Solution? Penalize with serious jail-time & fines. & fire their sorry asses!
How in the hell is it ok to shoot before checking for children? Wow, charges should definitely be filed.
It saddens me that there are so many idiotic and worthless people in this world that know enough about a computer to be able to spread their ignorant filth. I've read thru about half of these comments and I'm disgusted. You want to give props to a police officer for shooting a pitbull that was protecting it's owners over a FUCKING SMALL BAG OF WEED AND A PIPE? Are you fucking dense?
What these moronic officers did to that dog was done out of pure idiocy and a perfect example of abuse of power within law enforcement.
I would personally rather see these cops take out most of you then wipe out a loyal, beautiful animal.
It's a true shame what society has come to and the wide support for the abuse of power. I personally hope all of you burn in hell for an eternity and me and my dog are granted a window to watch you fucking burn.
All this Bush era fear-baiting has created a police force in many urban settings that is hate based... they are the Christian Soldiers.
No better than thugs
That family was the subject of a terrorist attack... send those blue uniforms to Gitmo for a never ending session of waterboarding!!
Josh your a borderline retard. how is someone who smokes pot junkie? junkie is someone who has a physical addiction, pot is not addictive at all. pot is about 100 times safer than alchohal. hell you cant even O.D on it and you can O.D. on even water for christs sake
We stand before the gates of Hell
Smeared with filthy bacon smell
Not all cops are pigs
Some of them are dicks
It is their duty to beat you...
...with a BIG FUCKING STICK!
I LOVE THE PIGS!!!!
The cheap allure
Of human manure
You busted her for junk
And soon your dashboard,
Was spackled with spunk
You stopped for a bit
But you couldn't quit
I love the pigs, I love the pigs, love the pigs
You killed and killed again,
And got away with it
The body count rose, yet,
Yet, still I craved more
Fighting just crime had become such a bore
That one magic night when I raped with a mop...
That sure got 'round the shop!
'Til an AK took my head off
In a drug deal gone way wrong
By some weird Asian dude
That they called Knobby Tong
Still they called it suicide...
At the funeral the Sgt. cried...
You stopped for a bit
But you couldn't quit
I love the pigs, I love the pigs, love the pigs
You killed and killed again,
And got away with it
You wanted to do right...
But right, it felt so wrong...
The filthy streets ate your soul
That's how you wound up
Deep in this hole.
See them in their grandeur
White Knights of the Realm
They are all my children...
Follow me to hell...follow me to hell!
Then Satan smiled upon you
You became a god
It became your resurrection
Undeath of the damned
Resplendent in his harness
His flanks are flecked in seed
Cybernetic knucklehead
Centurion of greed
You stopped for a bit
But you couldn't quit
I love the pigs, I love the pigs, love the pigs
You killed and killed again,
And got away with it
They combined a man with a hog
Then they sewed on the dick of a dog
Good with a club, but not a great shot...
I guess even hell needs a cop...
I have a serious problem with this event. Despite whatever reasons they allegedly had for thinking this guy was dealing drugs - which, given what they found in his house, is clearly wrong - it does not in any way make what they did to those animals acceptable. Yes, pit bulls and other dogs with reputations of aggression can be frightening, particularly if you are going in as law enforcement expecting a drug dealer, but to immediately shoot the animal upon entry into its home, then hunt it down while it tries to get away and shoot him an additional number of times is completely unacceptable. (I would use gender specifics but I don't recall seeing if it was male or female.) There are words for what they did to that dog: murder or execution come to mind. And, not satisfied with murdering the first dog, they went on to shoot the other one as well.
These officers should not only be sued for their actions but the city should charge them with criminal misconduct, animal cruelty and any other charges relevant to illegally slaughtering an animal and attempting to kill another. It's shameful how weak the penalties are for animal cruelty but they have clearly earned a little time behind bars with their actions.
Their behaviour towards the child was also overly zealous, but humans can be more dangerous in situations like these, regardless of how old they are. As other commenters have said there are always stories of the kid who ran to help his daddy by grabbing the family gun or what have you. I would have no problem seeing the officers charged with assault and battery for their use of force on the humans in question, but it would likely get dismissed as it was done in the line of duty under a legal warrant. Warrants allow you access to the homes of suspected criminals - not to rain violence down on people and animals.
Serves those filthy fucking potheads right. cops did what they had to do, if the young boy is traumatized, then oh well too bad. Little shit was probably gonna grow up a worthless junkie just like his dad.
Why is it if you hurt or kill a police dog you can get tried for assault or murder of a police officer, but if they shoot a family pet (which to dog lover they consider them a family member) why cant the cops be tried for killing a member of their family? Why is it if its a citizens dog it has no value? I bet it had value to that 7 yr old. obviously has value to the father? Fucked up shit, yeah it happens all the time but that don't make it right. In closing FUCK THE POLICE.
Respectfully Your,
Law Abiding Citizen
First, anyone who can't comment with their real name are cowards. This country is filled with cowards and it's sad.
Second, who's the anonymous brain-dead coward who thinks it's a crime to have a 7 year old around a pit bull? YOU AND YOUR KIND ARE WHAT'S WRONG WITH AMERICA. If I have to explain why, you'll never understand.
A small amount of Marijuana in a house with a 7 year old? Again, if you think that's bad then again, YOU ARE WHAT'S WRONG WITH AMERICA. You coward anonymous commenters probably think it's ok to swear, drink and smoke cigarrettes in front of kids and that Marijuana is the devil. WAKE UP! Those cops should be smoking some pot rather than shooting roids, beating their kids/wife/gf and getting drunk.
No one deserves to be held at gunpoint, have their constitutional rights raped, have their dogs murdered and injured.
Now, the very worst part of all this is that the Whitworth's WILL win the law suit and guess who pays for it? YOU AND I. It doesn't matter if you agree with the cops or not we all are going to pay for it AND not one police officer will be reprimanded or lose their job.
Believe it or not, America is controlled by the government. FEAR GOD? FEAR THE GOVT AND IT'S GIGANTIC ARMED FORCES!
Fuck the police. These assholes think they're professionals like Delta, not a shred of humanity was shown in how they handled that.
What's funny is the cop said "I have the right to know your name." Gov't employees have no rights. Citizens have rights. You sign them away when you join the system.
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